Diaper washing attachment for lavatory fixtures



May '14, 1957 T. M.IMURRAY DIAPER WASHING ATTACHMENT FOR LAVATORYFIXTURES Filed Feb. 15, 1956 2 Sheets-Shee INVENTOR.

T/zomas M. Murray AGENT May 14, 1957 T. M. MURRAY DIAPER WASHINGATTACHMENT FOR LAVATORY FIXTURES Filed Feb. 15, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. Tka/nao M. Marr DIAPER WASI-IING ATTACHMENT FOR" LAVATORYFIXTURES Thomas M; Murray, T'umbull, Conn.

Application Feb'uary 15, 1956, SerialNo. 565',605

Claims. (Cl. 4--1) This invention relates to means for washing, orcleans ing dia-pers and the like, andmore particularly. toxattachmentsto be used with existing lavatory fixturestsuch as diapers and the like.In these prior proposalslthenozzle` was provided witha hose by which-itwas supposed to 'be connected to the water faucet of a sink. After use,the hose in these prior devices was intended to 'be disconnected, andtemporarily stored in any suitablevplace.

Such prior devices had the disadvantage that they required a connectionto be'made at each timethey wereto be used, the hose beingthendisconnected after use. Also, the matter of finding a 'suitabletemporary storage. place for the hose was ditcult. Often thedisconnectingof 'the hose was accompanied by spilling of residual wateron the floor, and since the stored hose constituted an unsightly item inthe lavatory or bathroom, untidness resulted.

The present invention obviates the above drawback's and disadvantages ofthese prior devices, and one object of the invention is to provide anovel and improved diaper washing attachment for a lavatoryfixture,which may be easily installed and is so arranged that it does'not'requre connecting and disconnecting Operations eachtimethe-attachment is to be, used.

Another object of the invention is to provide an. improved cleansingattachment of" the above type; which may be readily incorporated indifferent makes and styles of existing toilet fixtures, and which'is;no'mally`mostly out of sight except for minor portions'thereo'f.

Accordingly, a feature of the invention residesinthe provision of animproved attachment in accordancewith the above, which can 'be allowedto remain in placeat all times, without causing an unsightlyappearance;

A still further object'of' the'invention' is to'provide 'an improvedcleansing attachment as above characterized,

which may be easily and quickly installed without theuse of tools, issanitary, does not require` cleaning-after' each instance of use, andwhich may be constructed'of parts which are non-Corrosive and'notsubjectto deterioration.

A still further object of the invention isto provide an improvedcleansing attachment as characterized, which will not interfere with thenormal operation of the lavatory fitting, and which further requires no`alteration of the existing mechanism of said fitting;

Another feature of the invention resides in* theprovision' of` animproved cleansing attachment havin'gall of the above advantages, yetwhich is'nevertheless inexpensive` to manufacture, andmay be made toagreatextent of plastic components capable of economical fabrication.

Yet another feature of the invention resides in the'provision of animproved cleansing attachment in accordance with all of the foregoing,which^is quick and effective'in itsaction, and reliab'le in operationatuall times.:

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

"ice In the drawings accompanying this specificationgsimilar characters.of reference indicate corresponding parts wherever possible in theseveral views, in which:

Figur-e 1` -is a top or plan view of a lavatory toilet fixture having atank and 'bowl, showing the cover of the tank removed and the improvedcleansing attachment of the presentnvention installed in the fixture.

Fig., 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the 'bowl ofthe fixture shown in Fig. l, taken on line 2-2 thereof.

Eig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the tank of thefixture ofF'g. l, taken on line 3--3 thereof.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3..

Fig..5 is a topsor plan view of the valve means of the attachment,installed on the upper edge of the tank.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view, taken on. -line-6--6 ofFig S.

. Figrlisa perspective view of a supportingfoot member of theattachment, adapted toretain a'fiexible supply line thereofin. place onthefillng pipe of the tank.

i Refe'ringY-to Figs. 1-4there is showna lavatory fixture comprsingawatertank 10 connected with `a 'bowl 11 to supply water thereto forflushngpurposes. The tank has the usualt water discharge valve and waterinlet fittings (-I10t-:` shown) 'by which the contents thereof may *beemptedinto' the bowl 11 and the tank refilledto apredetermined level,such refill'being'characterized by automatic. shutting off of the watersupply when the proper level isattained; As seen in Fig; 4, partofthismechanism comprises the usual'filling pipe'12, which leads from ahoat-controlled water shut oli valve'(not shown).

In accordance with the present invention I provide a noveland improvedcleansing attachmentfor the lavatory fitting 10, 11, by which soileddiapers' and the like may be 'eadilywashed and cleansed ina-mostconvenient" and effective manner. This cleansing attachment includes aspray head or nozzle means 13 attached to the rear portion of the bowl11 and comprising-a tubular' member 14 having downwardly-disposedorifi'ces 15.

In 'accordance with' the invention' I provide novel, 'adjustablemount-ing means in conjunction with' the tubular member: 14 to enablethe latter tobe easily'and quickly `mount'ed on various types andshapesof bowls 11. This mountngi. means comprises a pair of spring clips16 adaptedto snap-over the upper rim 17' of the' bowl, said clips'havinginwardly extending arms 18 provided, with eyes-.1 9"in-which the ends ofthe tubular member 14 are received; The eyes 19 are preferablyslidableon the member 14 whereby the spaci-ng between the'clips 16 may 'bevaried'. to suit the particular bowl 11 on' which the nozzle means 'isto be Secured.

lir' accordance with the present invention the nozzle means'13 isprovided with a supply of 'water from the tank 10 n a novel andadvantageous manner, enabling, the cleansing attachment to -be veryeasily and quickly installed and providing for itsutmost'etfectivenessand ease 'of'operatiom while at the same timeenabling .the lavatory to be maintained neat and tidy, without unsightlycomponents `beingexposed to view 'and without the likelihood of Water'being spilled on. the floor; which latter would require aLmop-up'operation after' each use' of the attachment::

As shown, leading from the rear portionof the. tubular member 14 is awater discharge line 20 connecting the nozzlemeans with a manuall'yoperable valvemechanism 21; Referringto Figs. 3 and 4, the valvemechanism 21' comprise's a pair of relatively movablememberszz and"23,the latter beingstationary and being gcarriedon the upper 'edge portion24 of the tank 10 by meansof U-shapedclips 25`adapted tohook oversaidedge portion.

I also provide a depending tab 26 engageable with the inner surface 2.7of the tank 10, to steady the valve mechanism 21 and provide -a morestable installation. The movable member 22 of the mechanism 21 includesa handle 28, Figs. and 6, carried by a pivot bolt 29 which passesthrough the member 23 and has a flexible bowed Washer 30 to maintaintension between the valve members'. As shown in Fig. 6, the handle 28passes through the space between the clips 25, and the latter mayconstitute stops for the handle and also establish clearance between thetop edge of the tank and the lid, to provide for f ree movement. As seenin Fig. 5 the stationary valve member 23 has three ports 32, 33 and 34,and the movable member 22 has an elongate channel 35 in itsundersurface, cooperable with the ports 32--34 to connect either of theouter two p-orts 32, 34 to the center port 33.

Referring to Fig. 4, the center port 33 is connected by means of a watersupply line 36, which is preferably in the form of a exible piastic pipeor hose, to the filling pipe 12 of the tank. The port 34 is connectedwith a depending discharge pipe 37 which is adapted to empty into thetank 10, and the port 32 is connected with the discharge line 20 leadingto the nozzle means 13. i

In accordance with this invention the discharge line 20, discharge pipe37 and supply line or hose 36, as Well as the valve members 22 and 23may all be made of plastic material. The lines or hoses 20 and 36 are offlexible plastic, and preferably the hose 36 is provided with a bellmouth at its end and an exterior fiange 38 by which it may beConveniently pressed over the lower end of the existing filling pipe 12of the tank. I also provide a retaining member or supporting foot 40adapted to extend around the bell mouthed end of the hose 36 and engagethe fiange 38 thereof, said foot resting on the floor surface 41 of thetank and preventing accidental sepa ration of the hose 36 from thefilling pipe 12. V

Referring again to Figs. 5 and 6, the manually-operable valve means 21may be advantageously provided with a leaf spring 43 secured to themovable member 22 and engagin-g the underside of the stationary member23, to take or assume some of the Water pressure load during functioningof the valve.

The operation of the cleansing attachment of this invention is asfollows: For normal usage of the lavatory fixt'ure, the handle 28 andvalve member 22 are placed in the dotted line 'position shown in Fig. 5.The usual flushing lever or button (not shown) is actuated in theordinary manner, thereby opening the usual discharge valve `of the tank(not shown) and enabling water therefrom to flush the bowl 11 asheretofore. Filling of the tank will take place, water passing from thefilling pipe 12 through the supply hose 36 to the discharge pipe 37, andthence passing into the tank 10. When it is desred to utilize theattachment for cleansing diapers and the like, the handle 28 is shiftedto the full-line position shown in Fig. 5, whereupon the *supply line 36is connected through the valve 21 to the discharge line 20. usual flushlever or button of the tank is actuated, whereupon the bowl 11 will beflushed in the usual manner. The diaper, being held in the bowl, will beinitial ly cleansed by the flushing water, and fresh water entering thefilling pipe 12 of the tank will pass through the line 36, valve 21, anddischarge line 20 to the nozzle means 13. This water will be ejectedfrom the orfices of the 'nozzle means, and may be utilized further forcleansing the diaper or other article. It will be understood that thiswater may run continuously, so that the user will have as much of asupply as might be necessary. When the diaper is satisfactorilycleansed, the -user merely shifts the handle 28 back to the dotted-ineposition shown in Fig. 5, whereupon the supply of water will bediscoutinued from the nozzle means 13, and instead will flow through thedischarge pipe 37, to fill the tank in the usual manner. Upon the waterlevel in the tank reaching the proper height, the usual fioat or otherlevel-responsive Now the means Will shut off the water inlet valve inthe customary manner.

It will be readily understood that, in accordance with the above, I haveprovided an advantageous and simple cleansing attachment which may bereadily fitted to various styles of lavatory fixtures. The attachmentdoes not have any large unsightly parts which require storage orattachment to faucet fittings or the like, but instead is simple andconvenient to use and does not cause untdiness in the lavatory. Theattachment may be left in place at all times, is sanitary, quick andefiective in its action, and may be easily and quickly installed withoutthe use of tools. The operable parts may be made of non corrosiveplastic material which can be economically fabricated, thus holding thecost of the device to a minimum. Operation of the lavatory fixture inthe normal manner is not interfered with, and no alteration is requiredof the existing flushing mechanism.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claimsand portions 'of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. A cleansing attachment for a lavatory fixture of the type having atank and a bowl supplied with water from the tank, and having awater-level actuated shut-oli valve connected with a filling pipe,comprising a nozzle means for attachment to the bowl; amanually-operative valve means attachable to the tank; a water-supplyline and a water-dschar-ge line respectively connecting the filling pipeof the tank with the valve means and the latter to the nozzle means; anda water-discharge means connected with the valve means for ejectingwater into the tank, said valve means connecting said water supply linewith either said water-discharge means or said water-discharge line asdetermined by its different settings.

2. The invention as defined in claim l in which there is means adaptedto eXtend over a top edge of the tank, for supporting the valve meanswithin the latter, and in which the valve means has a handle adapted toextend outwardly of the tank past the said top edge and adjacent to thesaid supporting means.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 in which the supporting meanscomprses a pair of members dsposed on opposite sides of the said handleand adapted to constitute stops therefor.

4. The invention as dened in claim 2 in which the supporting meanscomprses a pair of members disposed on opposite sides of the saidhandle, said members spacing the lid of the tank from the upper edgethereof, to provide clearance' for the said handle.

5. The invention as dened in claim 1 in which the valve means is adaptedto be disposed within the tank and has clips for engagement with theupper edge of the tank,

'to support the valve means thereon.

`member having means for detachably supporting it on the upper edge' ofthe tank and within the latter, said other member having connected to itthe said supply and discharge lines and the said water-discharge means.

7., The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the nozzle meanscomprses a tubular member having a plurality of orifices, and in,whichrthere are means adjustably connected to said tubular member andincluding clips 'for removably supporting the tubular member within thesaid bowl.

8. The invention as dened in claim 1 in which the water supply linecomprses a flexible hose adapted to fit over the end of the filling pipeof the tank, and in which there is a retainer adapted to be placed inthe tank, for holding the hose in place on the filling pipe.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8 in which there are coop'erableabutment means on the retainer and said exible hose, preventng thelatter from slipping off the operabl e means on the hose comprses aflange engage filling pipe, said retainer being adapted to engage aninable with said foot. side wall of the tank.

10. The invention as dened in claim 9 in which the References Cited inthe file of this patent retaner comprises a sustantally tubularsupporting foot 5 FOREIGN PATENTS adapted to extend around the hose, andn whch the co- 69,368 Netherlands u Jan 15, 1952

